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Work zone safety

Each year in Wisconsin, both highway workers and motorists are
killed and injured in crashes that happen in highway construction zones.

Recognizing work zones

Major road construction that lasts for weeks and weeks. Emergency
vehicles at the side of the road. A snowplow flashing its warning
lights. The everyday garbage pickup. In Wisconsin, theyíre all
work zones.

Any time people are working in a street or highway near traffic,
drivers and workers are at risk. Being able to identify the work
zones up ahead can save lives. So learn the signs of a work zone:
flashing lights, utility or emergency vehicles, orange signs, flags,
barrels and cones. And, of course, people.

Driving in work zones

To protect themselves and others, drivers need to slow down
whenever they see flashing lights, or move over, if possible, to
leave the lane beside the work zone open. In some construction
areas, lowered speed limits are posted and must be obeyed at all
times.

Remember, when you enter a work zone, be patient. Worrying about
the time and traffic wonít get you anywhere faster. Instead, slow
down and pay attention to your surroundings. These tips can help you
get in and out of a work zone safely:

Follow the law. Slow down and move over, if possible,
when you see flashing lights.

Paying for work zone carelessness

In Wisconsin, we take work zone safety seriously. The penalties
for careless driving are steep.

It can cost you money. A normal speeding ticket can be expensive, but thatís nothing
compared to traffic violations made in the zone. In a work zone,
penalties are doubled - and fines usually increase every year.

It can cost you time. The consequences for injuring or killing someone in a work zone
are especially serious. Careless drivers may face thousands of
dollars in fines and up to 3 1/2 years in prison if they injure
someone in a work zone. The fines for vehicular manslaughter are
even higher, as are the prison terms - as many as 10 years.
These punishments may increase if the driver was intoxicated or
a repeat offender.

It can cost your life. The greatest cost of irresponsible driving isnít calculated in
dollars or years. Wisconsin sees nearly 2,000 work zone crashes
a year. Sometimes, people die. And those tragedies change the
lives of everyone left behind - workers, drivers and passengers,
family and friends.

The fact is, people who work along Wisconsinís roads are
extremely vulnerable. But not every crash in the zone involves
workers. In reality, drivers and their passengers are the most
common work zone fatalities.

Driving safely protects people on the road and the people in your
own car. Driving safely protects you. So follow the rules, follow
the law. And be safer in the zone.

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Questions about the content of this page:Office of Public Affairs, opa.exec@dot.wi.govLast modified: April 6, 2011

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